International Orangutan Day 2021

International Orangutan Day aims to highlight the plight of the critically endangered orangutan
Estimated to be only around 100,000 Bornean orangutans left in the wild - they need our help!
It is a day for us to reflect on our charity's commitment. We strive to protect the remaining populations of orangutans, working closely with Sepilok Orangutan Rehabilitation Centre, as well as other conservation partners across Borneo .

[@sitinorhassan5253]

Are there any rescued orangutans in Malaysia recently?

[@beccafawn1460]

I do not care for, nor donate to this Sepilok Rehab. Because their policy of little to no physical affection toward these baby orangutans, from the caretakers so greatly disturbs me. Especially during the first 4 years of life, and even more so for the first 2,..its an emotional and instinctive NEED to hold onto, and be held and hugged and cuddled by their caretakers. This Rehab facility denies them that. And you can see how desperately these babies want and need it. The staff obviously does care for them, or they wouldn't be there. Yes they feed them, give them vet care. Hold their hands while they walk them, or carry them by the hands to vet visits and they lift them up to the trees and ropes etc. But no physical hugs or holding them tight to them as they carry them or feed them. No kisses or tickles. The babies are lucky if they get their heads stroked once in awhile. The little babies who are normally held and carried and cuddled by their mother's, are not held and cuddled by their caretakers, even while being fed their bottles. They are fed their bottles through the bars of the cages they are left to sit in most of the day and night. (From about 4 months on I believe). The babies stick their little hands out to be cuddled. But no. The staff will hold their hands. But that's it. It's heartbreaking to see how desperately these little ones want to be cuddled. If the staff holds them at all, it's to carry them to the vet or out to the ropes. And they carry them with their backs to them, and lift them onto the ropes. If the babies try to reach out to be cuddled their hands are turned away. I can only imagine what goes through these poor babes minds, as their natural instinct to hug is constantly denied. I understand that during the climbing lessons they have to stay focused, but before and after, no hugs and snugs? If there is more than one baby on the ropes, you can see them move toward eachother and cling. Just to get that instinctive NEED fulfilled for a few minutes. ...Apparently...Sepilok has this policy because "Somebody" at the head, seems to think, they will get attached to humans and when released in the wild they might go right up to a human stranger. However, all of the other Orangutan Rehab places would strongly disagree with this viewpoint. They raise these babies with all the physical love and hugs and cuddles and these babies need. While still giving them the vet care and forest school training they need to be ready for release in the wild. And they have successfully released many. As one of them has even stated, as the baby grows, the more independent they become, and the less physical affection they need. They naturally desire being held or hugged less and less. By the time they are 6 or 7, they will allow being led or held by the hand but not much into hugging. Once released, into the pre-release forrests, they rarely even approach the monitors they know, and only close enough to get the food the monitors put on the feeding stations. But these babies are alot like human babies and toddlers. Human babes and toddlers need physical affection and cuddles, or it can cause emotional and psychological issues in the child. (I am an early development Child Psychologist) And these little Orangutans instinctively need it even MORE. It seems to me, and apparently, all the other rehab facilities, that the possible emotional damage this "no physical affection" policy is causing, far out weighs the unlikely danger that the released adult orangutans might approach a human stranger someday.